Paris is planning to build glass walls near the base of the Eiffel Tower in an effort to keep the monument safe but still looking good for tourists.
Jean-François Martins, the deputy mayor in charge of tourism, said the current metal fences are "disgraceful." "It is useful in term of security, but it ruins the view of the monument," he said in a statement, as reported by CNN.
The permanent glass walls are designed to replace the metal barriers on the north and south sides of the monument. The city has depended on these metal barriers on base of the tower which were built during the Euro 2016 soccer championship. The two new glass walls to be built at the base are going to be bulletproof and will be 2.5 meters tall.
The French capital has increased the security around its most popular tourist attractions, like the iconic tower, following a spate of terrorist attacks. Paris for quite some time now has been worried of attacks on its tourist sites and has the problem of ensuring the safety of its visitors. This after a failed terror attack recently at the Notre Dame Cathedral and and an attack near the Louvre Museum, reports Forbes.
Martins said the new glass walls will provide Parisians and tourists alike with clear views of the monument from Lena Bridge and the Champ de Mars park, as compared to the metal structure. Both locations are favorite picture taking spots of tourists.
The Eiffel Tower is visited by 6 million tourists a year. It generates $87M in annual revenues. In January, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced a 15-year, $318 million upgrade for the Eiffel Tower. This means $14.5 yearly to be raised to $21M with the latest plans. The improvements include better elevators, refurbished lights, stronger security, and an improved entrance.
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